Homophobia is the most common hate crime in Spain

In 2014 Spain recorded 1,285 hate crimes, and the majority (513 or 40%) was linked to the sexual orientation of the victim.

Apr 15, 2015 - 8:16 AM

Racialism and xenophobia come next with 475 crimes 37% of the total, according to data from the State Security Forces, which notes last year saw more than 100 cases then in 2013, and an increase of 9.6%.

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Other groups subjected to hate crime in Spain in 2014 were 199 attacks against the disabled, 63 against religious beliefs, 24 anti-Semite, and 11 related to poverty.

The increase in numbers can be explained as this last year’s figures included data from the Mossos d’Esquadra in Cataluña.
Interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, reported a quarter of the victims are children, women make up 54% and in 70% of cases the victim is Spanish.

He added two out of three are investigated by the security services, which led to the detention of 512 last year, and that 66% of the cases are solved.
Regionally most detentions took place in Andalucía (119 detentions from 297 crimes) Valencia Community (66 from 119) and Cataluña (50 from 214).

In the provinces in order Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Valencia, Sevilla, Cádiz, A Coruña, Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa and the Baleares.

The numbers also show most hate crime is carried out in the Summer, particularly between May and September, however the ONG report most people who are victims of hate crime don’t report it because of fear.